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Quick answer: If you loved Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, try Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier, Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. With that famous first line, Rebecca draws readers into the story of a shy young woman who marries a wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter, and moves into his grand Cornish estate, where the memory of his first wife, Rebecca, still rules every room. The housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, keeps that memory alive, and the second Mrs. de Winter slowly discovers that nothing about Rebecca’s death is what it seems. Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 novel is a masterpiece of suspense and psychological tension. The picks below share its haunted houses, jealousy, secrets and romantic dread.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love Rebecca
Readers love Rebecca because it is so unsettling and so beautiful. Du Maurier never gives her narrator a name, which makes her feel even more overshadowed, and the reader sees Manderley through her nervous, longing eyes. Mrs. Danvers is one of literature’s most memorable villains, and the famous fancy-dress ball scene is a masterclass in tension. The second half shifts from gothic romance to mystery, with a twist that changes how you see everyone. It has been adapted for film, notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940, and remains endlessly rereadable.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about Rebecca: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Eyre | Charlotte Brontë | Classic | The original gothic romance |
| My Cousin Rachel | Daphne du Maurier | Gothic suspense | More du Maurier |
| Jamaica Inn | Daphne du Maurier | Gothic adventure | Atmosphere and danger |
| The Thirteenth Tale | Diane Setterfield | Gothic mystery | Bookish, haunting secrets |
| The Woman in White | Wilkie Collins | Victorian sensation | Mysteries and villains |
| The Little Stranger | Sarah Waters | Gothic fiction | A quiet, haunting house |
| Mexican Gothic | Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Gothic horror | A modern gothic update |
| Dragonwyck | Anya Seton | Gothic romance | Mid-century gothic romance |
| Mistress of Mellyn | Victoria Holt | Gothic romance | The popular gothic romance |
| Northanger Abbey | Jane Austen | Classic satire | A funny look at gothic fans |
| The Shadow of the Wind | Carlos Ruiz Zafón | Gothic mystery | Mysterious books and Barcelona |
| Atonement | Ian McEwan | Literary fiction | Country houses and secrets |
| The Death of Jane Lawrence | Caitlin Starling | Gothic horror | A bold modern take |
| The Silent Companions | Laura Purcell | Gothic fiction | Creepy Victorian ghosts |
| Wuthering Heights | Emily Brontë | Classic | Passion on the moors |
1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
An orphaned governess takes a job at Thornfield Hall and falls for its brooding master, but a secret in the attic threatens everything. It’s the template for countless later novels, including Rebecca, with a strong and independent heroine.
2. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
A young Englishman suspects that his late guardian’s widow, Rachel, may have poisoned him, then falls under her spell. It’s a masterpiece of ambiguity, and readers argue about whether she was guilty.
3. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
A young woman goes to live with her aunt at a remote inn on Bodmin Moor and discovers that the inn’s visitors are not what they seem. It’s an adventure with gothic menace.
4. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
A biographer is summoned by a famous, reclusive author to hear her life story and learns of a ruined mansion, twins and a hidden past. It’s atmospheric and a love letter to reading.
5. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
A drawing teacher encounters a ghostly woman in white on a moonlit road, and is drawn into a plot involving identity and inheritance. It’s one of the first detective novels and a thrilling read.
6. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
A country doctor becomes involved with a declining gentry family and their crumbling mansion, and strange things begin to happen. It’s slow and chilling.
7. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A young woman goes to a decaying mansion in the Mexican countryside to check on her cousin and finds the house hiding horrors. It’s bolder and gorier than Rebecca.
8. Dragonwyck by Anya Seton
A young woman marries a wealthy patroon in the Hudson Valley and discovers that his mansion hides secrets. It’s a classic of the genre that inspired many later novels.
9. Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt
A governess takes a job in a Cornish house and becomes entangled in the mystery of her employer’s late wife. It’s a close cousin to Rebecca and Jane Eyre.
10. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
A young woman who loves gothic novels visits an old abbey and imagines murders. It’s Jane Austen’s affectionate parody of the genre.
11. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
A boy discovers a mysterious novel in a hidden library and sets out to find its author, drawn into a dark mystery in postwar Barcelona. It’s a love letter to books.
12. Atonement by Ian McEwan
A young girl’s false accusation at an English country estate changes the lives of everyone involved. It’s a haunting book about guilt.
13. The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
A practical woman marries a doctor in a marriage of convenience and finds his house hides terrible secrets. It’s gory and atmospheric.
14. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
A young widow moves into her husband’s crumbling estate and discovers painted wooden figures that seem to move. It’s a spooky read.
15. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
The wild love between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw destroys two families on the Yorkshire moors. It’s stormy and unforgettable.
How to Pick Your Next Gothic Read After Rebecca
- Want more du Maurier? My Cousin Rachel and Jamaica Inn.
- Want classic gothic romance? Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.
- Want a bookish mystery? The Thirteenth Tale and The Shadow of the Wind.
- Want something modern? Mexican Gothic and The Death of Jane Lawrence.
- Want a funny take? Northanger Abbey.
- Watch the film. Hitchcock’s 1940 Rebecca is a classic.
What Makes a Great Gothic Romance?
Gothic romances combine love and fear. They usually feature a young woman, a brooding man, an old house with a dark past and a sense that something is hidden. The tension comes from not knowing whether the man is a savior or a threat, and whether the house is haunted or the heroine is imagining things. Rebecca keeps that uncertainty for most of the book. Other classics in the genre, such as Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, share the same ingredients, which is why they are often read together.
Daphne du Maurier’s Other Novels
If you want more of her work, start with Jamaica Inn, a smugglers’ tale on Bodmin Moor, and My Cousin Rachel, which keeps readers guessing about a woman’s innocence until the last page. Her short story The Birds inspired Hitchcock’s film, and Don’t Look Now is a chilling tale set in Venice. Du Maurier wrote many of her best works set in Cornwall, and visiting the area, or reading about its coastline, makes her stories feel even more vivid. She rarely wrote straightforward romances, and her endings are usually ambiguous.
Rebecca on Screen
Several versions of Rebecca have been made. Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine, won the Academy Award for Best Picture and remains the best-known. A 2020 Netflix version starred Lily James and Armie Hammer, and there have also been television serials. Hitchcock changed the ending slightly to satisfy film censors of the era, so reading the book gives you the full story. It’s worth comparing how each version portrays Mrs. Danvers, because her presence can make or break the adaptation.
How to Read Gothic Fiction Today
Classic gothic novels can feel slow to modern readers, with long descriptions and formal dialogue. A few tips help. Read the opening chapters in one sitting to get into the voice. Treat the setting as a character, noting how the weather and rooms reflect the heroine’s feelings. Audiobooks can be wonderful for atmosphere, and many classic gothic novels have excellent narrators. Finally, remember that these books were written when women’s choices were limited, which explains why the heroines often depend on marriage and why the stories feel so tense.
Questions to Discuss After Reading Rebecca
Rebecca is a gift for book clubs. Why does du Maurier never name her narrator? How does Manderley shape the characters, and is the house a villain? Was Mrs. Danvers motivated by love, jealousy or loyalty? What do you make of Maxim, and did your opinion of him change by the end? Is the narrator a victim, or does she gain strength? Many readers also enjoy comparing how the story would feel if told from Rebecca’s perspective, or how much of the novel’s power comes from a woman who never appears on the page.
Related: best thriller books for book clubs and books like The Shining.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like Rebecca?
Jane Eyre is the closest classic match, and My Cousin Rachel is the closest du Maurier novel. For a modern take, try Mexican Gothic or The Thirteenth Tale.
Is Rebecca a romance?
It begins as a romance but becomes a psychological suspense novel with a major twist.
Who is Mrs. Danvers?
She’s the housekeeper at Manderley, who was devoted to the first Mrs. de Winter and tries to destroy the second.
Is Rebecca appropriate for teens?
Yes. It has no explicit content and is often assigned in high school, though it contains a death and psychological manipulation.
What’s the best edition of Rebecca to read?
Any complete edition works well. Choose one with a good introduction if you’d like context about du Maurier and the novel’s history.